Agri-Food awards recognize Norfolk farmers

Thursday, November 13, 2008

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Farmers from Norfolk County, an eastern Ontario company and the Ontario Farm Animal Council are among those garnering recognition at this year’s Agri-Food Awards of Excellence ceremony.

Carmina Halstead, who operates Nightingale Farms and Norfolk Organics in LaSalette, received the youth leadership award. Halstead and her brother supply produce to Ontario food chain retailers, independents, Ontario Food Terminal brokers and retailers in the United States. The 25-year-old also has plans to establish a distribution centre specifically for organic foods.

Cathy and Bryan Gilvesy were recognized for excellence in environmental stewardship. The couple has transformed their former tobacco farm into Y U Ranch, an eco-tour destination that specializes in Texas Longhorn cattle production. Some of their conservation efforts include: planting native grasses; a pollinator hedgerow to provide food and housing for bees; bluebird boxes; a managed forest; and buffers for a cold water stream on their property. Their farm is an Alternative Land Use Services demonstration site.

Natunola Health Inc. of Winchester, south of Ottawa, received the award of excellence for innovation in agriculture and agri-food. The company built the world’s first commercial dehulling plant for flaxseed.

The Ontario Farm Animal Council was recognized for its work in agricultural awareness and education. “The continued popularity and growing demand for their outreach efforts are proof of their success in bridging the gap between farmers and the public,” stated a news release announcing the awards.

The annual national awards recognize achievements and leadership within the agri-food sector.  The ceremony took place on Monday at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto. Other award winners were the Southwest Farm Women’s Network in Manitoba for voluntarism and Manitoba-based Peak of the Market for agri-food export. BF